


The Project That Changed It All

by Erika_youknowtheangel



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Strex doesn't Exist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-07
Updated: 2016-01-07
Packaged: 2018-05-12 07:45:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5658262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erika_youknowtheangel/pseuds/Erika_youknowtheangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cecil Palmer is the school's morning announcement person, that is, until that new kid transferred from Desert Bluffs. He took the only thing he had to practice speaking on the radio with. He hoped to never see him again. Sadly, there the kid was in his last hour and of course the teacher had to par them up. Cecil was not a very happy camper. That is, until a trip to the local library changed his mind. </p><p>After all, you can't barely escape death with someone and still completely hate them afterall. </p><p>Can you?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The New Kid

**Author's Note:**

> This is written for a fic/art trade with tumblr user Cecilofdesertbluffs.  
> I hope this is alright???

“Goooooddd Morning, fellow teachers and students!” 

That cheerful voice rang throughout the classrooms and hallways. It was another typical day at Night Vale High. Well, not really ‘typical’ anymore since that new kid started doing the morning announcements. He was way too happy and excited considering just how early it was. Did he have too much coffee or something? 

Cecil sat at his desk half asleep and half jealous. The morning announcements was his job. But nooo, it was all “Your voice is too monotone for the morning, Cecil” or “You can’t talk about the cat video from Facebook, Cecil” and even “Steve Carlsberg isn’t at fault for everything, Cecil.” Then that new kid came, took over, and nothing was right in the world anymore.

Cecil laid his head on his arm and tried to stay awake. No wonder he had such trouble understanding science- it was his first hour and he was asleep through most of it. Carlos, his crush, had offered tutoring him a few times, but it was useless. He needed whatever that new kid was on since it was apparently good stuff. There was no way a person was a morning person. How does someone get up and not want to kill another person until around noon AT LEAST? 

***

The bell rang for lunch. The classrooms were filled with chatter, paper shuffling, pushing in chairs and the occasional person running to who knows where. Cecil got up, grabbed his lunch and headed off to the cafeteria. 

“Cecil! Over here!” a voice called. 

He turned around to see Dana and Earl sitting together waving him over. 

“I can make way better food than this,” Earl said, staring at whatever monstrosity was on his tray.  
“This is why I always pack a lunch.” Cecil replied.  
“Same here. I’m trying to get the school to get healthier, but I have no idea where to start.” Dana chimed in.  
“They should have me cook, honestly.” 

They all laughed. It was true Earl was great with food- most people knew that. In fact, he was the first Boy Scout to earn some kind of food related patch. It was something like ‘Advanced Stove Fighting’ badge. It wasn’t likely to be attacked by a stove but hey, you should always be prepared for whatever life throws at you. 

“Dammit I forgot my drink” Cecil took a dollar out of his pocket and got up.  
“Wait wait wait, the vending machines only take coins right now.” Earl started counting out dimes and nickels. “Dana do you have another 10 cents?”  
“Oh yeah hang on”  
Cecil gathered the change and was on his way to the vending machine, counting it as he walked.  
He was, apparently, not the only one not paying attention to where they were walking since there was a crash. Cecil found himself on the ground with someone else and his change went everywhere.  
Cecil was dazed a little until he heard that voice. 

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry- I…” the person trailed off. “I’m sorry, have we met before? I’m Kevin.”  
“Cecil,” he said rather harshly, picking up the scattered change. Kevin started helping.  
“First my job, now this,” Cecil muttered.  
“Sorry?”  
“I said it was a dollar. I wanted some water.”  
“Oh, right! Umm I can get it for you if you’d like-“  
“I’m fine.”  
“Well, okay… Hey, maybe we can meet up sometime later?”  
“Maybe!” Cecil said, almost sarcastically.  
“Great! Again, uh, sorry” Kevin said, and Cecil just smiled and nodded until Kevin awkwardly walked away. 

Cecil sat back down with his friends and ate the rest of his lunch in silence as Earl and Dana talked about the new dog park that was opening up nearby.


	2. English Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cecil hates everything. And is also a grumpt butt.

It was the last hour of the day and Cecil was very ready to go home, but of course, life was going by so slow. Time may not exist, but man oh man, it tends to drag on in some parts of your life. 

“Cecil Palmer”   
He snapped out of it. “Here,” he called. 

And the list kept going. 

Someone had knocked on the door and the professor answered. Words were exchanged and that someone walked in. 

“Alright Kevin, you can sit in that empty chair next to Cecil.”   
Cecil tried not to look up. Instead, he angrily doodled on his notebook.   
“Hi Cecil!”  
“…hey…” he almost inaudibly said. 

And with that, the professor started talking. 

Cecil could barely focus. Why did the world hate him so much? This guy was unknowingly ruining his life and now he didn’t have the entire school to rant to. Earl would do, but he had to work at that gross Applebee’s not that far away from here. One day, he hoped to finally work his way up to be a chef at Tourniquet by getting a lot of experience elsewhere. Dana was busy doing whatever class presidents do. Maybe he could call Carlos, but honestly, what even were they at this point? He sighed. Another lost cause. 

“…and so once you’re done reading together, then I want a book report. Not just any report, be creative with it! Create a PowerPoint and include as many things from the book as you can without giving it all away.”  
Sounds easy enough. Or so Cecil thought. 

“I will be picking your partners,” the teacher said. And with that, Cecil tensed. He wasn’t having a good day. And he knew exactly who his partner was going to be.   
Classmate upon classmate was being paired up, some with a friend, some with a stranger, and then there was Cecil. 

“Cecil? You and Kevin will work together.” 

Kevin was excited. Cecil smiled at him but then looked away glaring at the teacher. He called it. This was going to be the death of him. 

The bell rang. Cecil sped walked to his locker but was already too late. Kevin caught up and followed him. 

“So. I was thinking we should pick our book as soon as possible, and that way we’ll get a great start on our project. Do you maybe want to go to the library after school?”   
“Kevin, our libraries are dangerous!”   
“How so?”  
“The librarians!”  
“Oh, come on, Cecil they’re not that bad.”  
“They are!”  
“Have you ever been in a library before?”  
“Well, no but-“  
“Well I have. And it’s not like those rumors and stories going around.”

They reached Cecil’s locker and he grabbed his backpack and started putting some folders and notebooks in it.   
Kevin was still standing there. 

“Oh um, what’s your number? I’ll pick you up in an hour or two.” 

Cecil definitely hesitated, but he didn’t want to bring down both of their grades just because he didn’t like the guy. He told Kevin his number which made him finally leave to his own locker. 

And with that, he headed out towards the buses.


	3. The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cecil doesn't say I told you so but we know he thought it. God dammit Kevin  
> Also I'm not very descriptive of the library but it's set up like a maze of sorts. Imagine it how you will bc honestly I was confusing myself whenever I tried to give details.

Cecil was done with his homework when he received a text asking if he was ready for the library. In all honesty, he wasn’t, at all, but what other choice did he have? He responded, and waited lying on his floor for a while. He wasn’t prepared at all for this trip. He sure hoped he could trust Kevin with whatever they were getting themselves into. 

Leonard Burton’s voice filled the car. 

“You listen to Leonard Burton’s show?” Cecil asked.   
“Yeah, I actually just started recently… Should I change it?”  
“Oh, no, no, this is fine! I’m hoping to start interning there soon actually.”  
“Really? That’d be awesome!”   
“Yeah. Maybe one day I’ll have my own show. I really like radio.”  
“Me too, actually! I used to take classes but we didn’t have very many interning options.”  
“Oh?”  
“Yeah! That’s why I took up the morning announcements at this school. I figured it’d be good practice.”  
Cecil shifted some and tensed. He forgot already. The morning announcements.   
“I had the same idea.”   
“Hmm?”   
“I did the morning announcements until they replaced me. With you.”  
“Oh, Cecil, I had no idea! Tomorrow I’ll request that we do them together, how’s that!”  
Better than not doing it at all…  
“Alright. Cool. Thanks,” Cecil replied. 

As soon as they arrived at the library, Cecil had a bad feeling. He’s heard the stories. True or not, he still really did not want to be there.   
Kevin opened the door and motioned for Cecil to step inside.

“You’re crazy if you think I would go in there first.”  
Kevin shrugged and stepped inside.   
The library was huge. It wasn’t in great shape, but the amounts of books were almost overwhelming. It didn’t look like anyone was there though. 

“Is it closed?” Kevin asked. "But it was unlocked so it shouldn’t have been."  
“No one ever comes here, Kevin. Remember the stories?”   
“Those aren’t real!”   
“Keep your voice down!”   
They heard a noise from somewhere nearby. And Cecil gripped Kevin’s arm tightly.   
“We are not safe here” he whispered through clenched teeth, squeezing his arm.   
“Just stay close by and we’ll be fine.”

They made their way to the YAL section by hiding and running between bookcases.   
“Okay so what book were we thinking about?”  
“At this point I really don’t care I just want out of here, Kevin.”   
Kevin picked the closest book to them which happened to be The Hunger Games and turned.   
“Do you remember how to get out of here?”   
“I was really hoping you did.”  
“Well… Here we go.” Kevin said. 

They ran and hid once more to and behind various bookcases.   
“Do you see the exit?”   
“No, not yet.”   
Cecil tripped and knocked off something from a shelf.   
“Are you okay?”  
“Yeah…” Cecil said and looked at what fell. He jumped back letting out a loud gasp and falling into Kevin.   
“What is it?!” Kevin shouted.   
Kevin looked down to it and saw the jaw of a human skull with fresh blood on it and… were those claw marks?

Kevin is surprisingly intrigued just looking at it. He wanted to pick it up, and examine it. He found these types of things interesting. 

“Kevin what are you doing?! We need to get out of here! We’re definitely not the only ones here.”  
Kevin looked back at Cecil, but something caught his eye from over his shoulder.   
“Cecil… Don’t make any sudden movements. I see a librarian.”  
Cecil stiffened and mouthed “behind me?”  
Kevin nodded, slowly. 

Cecil made his way closer to Kevin as subtle as he could. 

“Hold those books tightly and do not let go.” He whispered as low as he could. Kevin brought the books up to his chest and nodded, which meant he was ready to go.   
They slowly made their way to an area that blocked them from view from the librarian farther back in the building. The exit was in sight now, and Cecil had a plan.   
“Do you see the exit?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Okay listen. As soon as I say go, we run. Those things may be fast, but we’ve got a head start.”  
“Are you sure-“ Cecil cut him off.   
“I used to be in Boy Scouts. It’s not the best plan but it’s one that will work. Are you ready?”  
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”  
“Alright,” Cecil said and grabbed Kevin’s shoulder reassuringly. Kevin took a breath, and then readied himself.   
“On the count of three. One.”  
“Two.”  
“Three!”   
They both booked it heading straight for the doors. The librarian heard their thudding footsteps and let out a roar behind them. It was coming.   
They dodged, bookcases, random objects lying about and off the shelves. They ran as fast as their legs would carry them through the building. Cecil made it through the door, but couldn’t find Kevin.   
He went back inside just in front of the door when he saw Kevin dodging the swipes of the librarian. 

“Kevin, you’re almost here, you can make it! Grab my hand!”

Kevin reached out the empty hand and grabbed onto Cecil, who in turn, gave him an extra boost through the door. As soon as they were through, Cecil slammed the door shut and leaned against it, both panting heavily. 

“Thanks,” Kevin said breathlessly.   
Cecil looked at Kevin, and then couldn’t help himself. He started laughing.   
Kevin looked at him and started smiling.. “What’s… what’s so funny?” he managed, still sort of out of breath.   
Cecil grabbed Kevin’s shoulders, still laughing.   
“We did it! We survived the library!”   
Kevin started laughing as well “I almost died!”   
“Let’s never do that again!” Cecil said through his laughter. After he calmed down a little, he allowed himself to rest on Kevin. He didn’t want to let go. Kevin held on. They clung to one another knowing that they probably should have been dead. But here they were, sitting in the dark parking lot of the library. 

They were like that for a short while until Cecil broke the silence. 

“Kevin?”  
“Yeah Cecil?” Kevin squeezed Cecil slightly before letting go, not quite entirely.   
“I want to go home.”   
Kevin nodded. 

They climbed back into Kevin’s car, and off they went.


	4. Dana's Grand Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was honestly just something to have Kevin make fun of Lauren I'm not even going to lie

“Goooooddd Morning, fellow teachers and students! Today is a very lovely Friday the 25th. This is Kevin Free…”  
“And Cecil Palmer with your morning news. Friendly Reminder from Park Management: People are not allowed in the dog park. It is possible that you will see construction workers in the dog park. DO NOT APPROACH THEM. DO NOT APPROACH THE DOG PARK. The equipment building it along with the dust is highly dangerous. Try not to look at the dog park, and, especially, do not look for any period of time at the construction workers. The dog park will not harm you.”  
“For those of you going to the Museum of Forbidden Technologies next month, don’t forget to get your permission slip signed and turned in by Next Friday! Oh, how exciting will that be?”  
“On Monday and Tuesday, there will be a bake sale in the cafeteria at all lunches. Cookies and brownies are 50 cents each and cake is a dollar. Money goes toward the Girl Scouts to get new uniforms.”  
“Baseball practice is cancelled after school today, but be sure to be at the next big game coming up next Friday! Can’t wait to see you there!”   
“Thanks for listening. This is Cecil Palmer”  
“And Kevin Free signing out! See you in class, Night Vale, see you in class!”

***

Cecil sat down in his usual spot in the cafeteria. Dana greeted him while Earl was waiting in the lunch line. 

“Why doesn’t he make his own lunch again?” Cecil asked.   
“Beats me. He might not have the time I guess.”  
“I swear that line gets longer every day,” Earl said as he walked over to them   
“Hey,” Dana and Cecil said in unison.   
“So. I need to plan out the next dance. I know it’s not for a few months, but hey, you can never plan too early right?” Dana said.  
“What about a nature theme?”  
“Maybe a fairytale theme?”  
“Both of those would be cool.”   
“Hey… um… is it okay if I sit here?”  
All three of them looked up to see Kevin with his tray.  
“Oh, sure! Go right ahead, no one else usually sits here,” Dana said with a smile.   
Kevin smiled back and sat next to Earl.   
“So nature and fairytales…” she said, thoughtfully.   
“Oh! Maybe like a space theme?” Cecil suggested.   
“What are we thinking about here?” Kevin asked.   
“As class president, I have to come up with a theme for the dance.” Kevin raised an eyebrow. “I know it’s not for a few months, but I want to get an early start so I can do a lot.”  
“Oh wow, that’s very neat! A head start is a great idea.”   
“Thank you! Kevin, right?”  
“Yep! And you’re Dana.”  
“Yes.”  
“Earl,” he said with a slightly full mouth.  
“And of course, Cecil,” Kevin said smiling at him. Cecil nodded and took another bite of his wheat-free sandwich.  
“So Kevin,” Dana started, “do you have some themes in mind maybe?”  
“Well I liked the space idea…” Cecil interrupted.  
“That was mine”   
“Okay, so what if we take that idea, and turn it into a Glo Dance? The dance would be in the dark, but imagine galaxies coming to life brightening up the entire gym!”  
“Okay, yeah, that’s pretty good.” Earl said.  
“Your dances sound like they’ll be a lot better than ours.”  
“Oh?”  
“There was one girl back at Desert Bluffs High… she thought everyone had to agree with every idea she had. It was so annoying. She then attempted to run for class president but failed, then tried to get the president kicked out. Ah, that Lauren…. Let me tell you, I am so glad to get away from her.”  
“She sounds like a bitch.”  
“Earl!” Dana hit him.  
“Well?” He shrugged.   
“Well I mean he’s not wrong,” Kevin agreed. 

Together, they brainstormed everything there was to do. Earl could cater the dance, easily. Kevin could get black lights and Cecil could paint some galaxy posters. Dana would be sure they wouldn’t go over budget and make sure everything is in working order with the help of a few teachers. 

The bell rang, ending lunch. Dana and Earl went to their classes leaving Cecil and Kevin together. 

“I like your friends. They’re cool.”   
“Yeah?”  
“Yeah. To be honest, I didn’t have many friends at the old school. Lauren thought she was my friend but she never understood the phrase ‘Leave me alone I do not like you Lauren.’”  
They were silent for a moment. 

“Hey, um… I’m really sorry we kind of got off on the wrong foot the other day. Can we start over?”  
“I was just being petty. You really didn’t’ have any control over any of it.”  
“I know. But I still feel bad about it.”  
“Don’t be, I’m… I’m over it. We’re doing it together now. Two’s better than one, right?”  
“Yeah. That’s true. I mean, unless your Lauren, then zero is better than anything.”  
They both laughed. 

“I’m gonna be late for class… Hey, do you want to maybe come over tomorrow to put the finishing touches on our project?”  
“I’d love to! Call me?”  
“Yeah. Okay. Um.. See you later” he turned to leave.  
“See ya!” 

Kevin turned and started walking the other way. Cecil stopped a moment and turned to watch him. He was greeting everyone with a smile. People would smile back. The new kid was weird, but Cecil had to admit there was something about him, maybe the way he smiled? The way he laughed? The way he told stories? He wasn’t sure. He found himself smiling in an emptying hallway. 

He no longer cared he was going to be late.


	5. Saturday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter jumps a little I sort of rushed it but whatever. It's cute n cheesy so who cares

It was Saturday.

Cecil didn’t exactly have much to clean up, but he was making sure anyways of everything anyways. Abby was going to be somewhere else for the night so he didn’t have to worry about her. There was a knock at the door. 

Kevin.

Cecil fixed his tunic and then opened the door. He wasn’t sure why he felt so nervous for this.

“Okay so,” Kevin started looking down on his phone and walking in. “I have most of the PowerPoint done, I just want you to look over a few things I wasn’t sure about and then we can work on the rest together.”  
“Oh, you already did most of it?”  
“Yeah… Is that okay? I’m sorry I usually just get ahead of everything…”  
“Oh no, it’s fine! I just wasn’t expecting it to be almost done yet.”

Cecil led Kevin to his room and sat down on his desk. Kevin took the bed behind him while he opened his laptop and inserted the USB stick.   
They worked for hours on the PowerPoint, making sure each design was easily readable and matched the theme of the book well enough. It started getting dark out, and then decided to take a break to eat once Khoshekh claimed the Keyboard for a nap. 

***

“I think it’s done. It’s finally done!”  
“It’s about time, I was beginning to think we would never find the perfect ending.”   
“I should probably get going. I’m really tired.”  
“Actually…”  
Kevin looked at Cecil and raised his eyebrow.  
“Why don’t you stay here?”  
“Oh, no Cecil I wouldn’t want to be a burden…”  
“No! No… It’s dangerous being out on the road this late. I wouldn’t want anything to happen.”  
“Are you sure? I don’t have anything with me.”  
“You can borrow something for tonight.”

Cecil walked over to his closet and got out an old t-shirt and some sweatpants and handed them to Kevin, then got some out for himself.   
There was one problem. Where was Kevin going to sleep?   
When Kevin came back, Cecil’s heart skipped a beat. 

“You look cute- I…” Cecil cleared his throat. “They look nice on you.”   
Kevin giggled. “Why thank you, Cecil.”  
“So! Umm, you can take the bed… I’ll sleep on the floor.”  
“I’m not going to allow that, this is your bed, you should sleep here.”  
“You’re my guest, you shouldn’t sleep on the floor!”  
“Are you sure?”   
“Of course.”

Cecil got the bed ready and found extra blankets to lie on the floor, then turned out the lights and lay down.   
“Cecil?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Do you think our project will get a good marking?”  
“I think we’ll do just fine. We worked pretty hard on it.”  
Silence.   
How do you tell someone you want so desperately to be with them? You may have just met not even two weeks ago, but with some people you just click. And it’s nice. Would it be weird to say something? Would it be okay with them?   
“Kevin?”  
“Hmm?”

And with that, it’s a little too late to back out now. 

“I don’t want to sleep on the floor anymore.”  
“Should we change spots?”  
“No, no… um” Cecil swallowed; his heart was racing. “Would it be okay if we…. Slept together?”  
He immediately wanted to die. 

Kevin was silent and still for a moment, (shit shit shit) but then shifted over in response and lifted up the covers for him. “Come on up.”

Cecil climbed in and got comfortable next to Kevin, sighing in relief.   
“Honestly, I was hoping you would ask.”  
“Oh?”   
“Yeah. Ever since that incident at the library… I know not that many people take too kindly to me at first since I’m from Desert Bluffs. But after I… After I held you that night after you saved me… I-“  
“Shhh,”Cecil reached up and caressed Kevin’s cheek. “I know what you mean. I felt it too.” 

He could feel Kevin smile. That damn smile. 

Kevin brought Cecil closer to him, and Cecil laid his head on the other’s chest, listening once more to a rapid heartbeat.   
Kevin traced his finger tips on Cecil’s back as Cecil found Kevin’s other hand, intertwining their figures. He gently rubbed his thumb on the back of Kevin’s hand until they fell asleep like that. 

***

“Good morning, sunshine~” Kevin said gently as Cecil stirred.   
He looked at Kevin, before plopping back into his pillow making Kevin laugh.   
“You are too cute!”   
“Your definition of cute is very messed up.”   
“Oh, no, it’s most definitely not. My definition of cute is you, Cecil!”   
“Kevviiinnn,” Cecil said as he hid himself under the covers. It was too early for whatever he was feeling.  
Kevin laughed again and squeezed the lump in a hug.   
“Oh! I have to get going. This was fun though. We should definitely do it again.”  
"You're leaving so soon?"  
"Sorry, Cec. I have some stuff I have to get ready for later."   
"Okay." 

Kevin got dressed while Cecil made coffee for himself. 

"Do you have the USB stick?"   
"Yeah. I have a great feeling about this."   
Kevin hugged Cecil, who was walking around wrapped in blankets. Cecil snuck a small kiss on Kevin's cheek, and instantly blushed. 

"You missed."  
"What?"   
"You missed!" Kevin said, and held Cecil closer to him. 

He put his finger under Cecil's chin and kissed him just once, gently on his lips, and Cecil melted right into it and the two smiled.   
As soon as they broke apart, Kevin turned to leave but Cecil stopped him.

"Wait! Your jacket-"   
"No, keep it. It's yours."   
"Are you sure?"   
"Of course I am... boyfriend." Kevin winked and went back to his car. 

Cecil waved to him and held the jacket close, biting his lip. He could still feel Kevin. 

Maybe the new kid wasn't so bad after all. 

And was also his boyfriend. Was that mentioned already?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge shoutout to Covinskey for reading over everything and helping me out when I was like what the fuck comes next???


End file.
